Curry stars for Warriors
to ban Kahui.
Kahui, it was decided, had dipped in the tackle and the contact was neither intentional nor highly reckless. A yellow card, the committee ruled, would have been warranted.
Really? Pour us a double, barman. You could even say yellow was too harsh. Because, given the speed of the incident, and the way Hunt leaned into Kahui before their heads clashed, it’s difficult to determine what more the latter could have done.
Unless defenders are issued with magic wands that enable them to morph into a butterfly, or possess telepathic powers and ask ball carriers to take evasive action, they have nowhere to go in such circumstances.
The Kahui incident was one of those situations where tacklers get punished for what unfolds in a split-second. The numbers tell the story: 17 red cards in the competition this season.
There’s going to be a sad ending to this story, because it will likely remain a contentious issue until the game’s laws are altered. Or, perhaps, Sanzaar should be bold enough to follow the NRL’s lead and place players on report, and then let the judiciary deal with it later.
With just two rounds remaining until the playoffs, it’s starting to get scary.
Because no-one in their right mind wants a team’s title hopes to be wiped-out by a dodgy red or yellow card. Everyone deserves better, none more so than the players.
Given the current trends, however, it wouldn’t be wise to bet against it. That’s where things are headed.
1. It’s easy to pick the match of the round
Tune into the clash in Canberra on Saturday night. If the Blues clobber the Brumbies at GIO Stadium they will capture the No 1 spot with a round remaining, ensuring they lock down home advantage at Eden Park in Auckland for as long as they remain alive in the play-offs.
As expected, the Ioane brothers, Rieko and Akira, haven’t been considered because of injury. Getting the former fully fit ahead of the suddendeath games will be vital.
Success will also mean there’s potential to rake in much-needed dollars. Not a bad way to celebrate Joe Schmidt’s one-season cameo with the franchise before he hops into his All Blacks’ duties.
2. It’s time to take a punt
Who will play in the quarterfinals when they start on June 4? Here’s how it’s shaping, by our calculations,
Blues Brumbies Crusaders Chiefs Hurricanes Waratahs Reds Highlanders Rebels Force Fijian Drua Moana Pasifika 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 11 11 10 9 8 7 7 7 4 3 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 5 5 8 9 9 10 10 431 363 381 364 374 316 293 298 267 230 224 185 248 253 250 293 281 277 277 282 394 339 422 410
listed 6 3 7 4 5 5 3 6 4 6 3 2 50 43 43 36 33 33 31 22 16 14 11 6
with the host franchise refunds if we’re wrong.
Blues (1) v Highlanders (8), Crusaders (2) v Reds (7), Brumbies (3) v Hurricanes (6), Chiefs (4) v Waratahs (5).
Good on anyone bold enough to bet against the Blues hosting the Crusaders in the final. It’s got that look about it.
first. No
3. TJ Perenara captains the Hurricanes as competition for the All Blacks No 9 jersey gets fiercer
With Ardie Savea rested from the fixture against the Rebels in Wellington, Perenara, no stranger to this job, leads the Canes as they continue their search for a home quarterfinal.
Not that it’s in their control; they need the Chiefs to stumble for that to become reality.
As for the ABs’ halfback conversation, usually three are selected for domestic tests: Aaron Smith, Finlay Christie, Brad Weber, Folau Fakatava, the latter is understood to be eligible for selection, and Perenara in this race.
Stephen Curry had 21 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, Golden State’s defence held Luka Doncic in check, and the Warriors beat the Dallas Mavericks 112-87 yesterday for a 1-0 lead in the NBA Western Conference finals in San Francisco.
Doncic scored 20 points but shot just 6 for 18 and 3 of 10 from deep. He made back-to-back 3-pointers late in the first half to get his team within 54-45 at the break, but Curry and Klay Thompson helped the Warriors pull away in the second half.
Jalen Brunson scored 14 points but missed all five of his 3s for the surprising Mavs, who stunned the top-seeded Suns in a 123-90 thumping in game 7 in Phoenix.
Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is tomorrow at Chase
Center, where the raucous, yellowclad sellout crowd brought back memories of that 2007 ‘‘We Believe’’ Warriors playoff team that shocked the No. 1-seeded Mavericks in a six-game firstround upset at Oracle Arena.
That helped propel Golden State back to prominence. The Warriors reached five straight NBA Finals from 2015-19 but missed the playoffs the past two years before this run. Now, they’re one win closer to getting back to the big stage.
Andrew Wiggins added 19 points, getting Golden State going by making six of his first eight shots on the way to shooting 8 for 17. Curry hit two quick 3s in sparking a 10-2 burst to begin the third for a Golden State squad that eliminated Memphis in a six-game semifinal series. Thompson scored all of his 15 points after halftime. AP